And henry m



July ze, 1927. Re. 16,689

R. H. FORD ET AL REENFORCED CONCRETE CRIBBING original Filed Feb.`24, 191s albert Hfbrcl, Charles? d'zard 0 22, llemufe'f 79er dalla? n/llet .Reissue-d July 26, 1927.

Re. 16,689l

UNITED STATES PATENT' oFElcE.

ROBERT H. FORD, CHARLES P. RICHARDSON, .AND ALEXANDER L. GREENABAUM, Ol' CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ANDIIENRY M. PRIEST, F EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY,

SIG-NORS TO CHARLES P. RICHARDSON,

TRUSTEE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

REEN FORCED-CON CRETE CRIBBING.

Original No. 1,312,689, dated August 12, 1919, Serial reissue led August 27,

Our invention relates to an improvement in reenforced concrete cribbing or retaining wall more especially adapted for supporting embankments or fills where the foundation material or other condit-io-ns make the .construction of the ordinary retaining wall impracticable; the invention having for its 0b- ]'ect the provision of an economical construction composed of standardized unit-s of such formation that the adaptability of the cribbing to varying conditions is enhanced; the invention at the same time contemplating units of such formation as will greatly simplify and reduce the cost of'construction of a retaining wall or cribbing; wherein the necessity of cementing or otherwise joining the units is eliminated; while on the other hand, a yielding structure is provided which will adjust itself without rupture or injury.

The above enumerated objects and advantages, as well as others inherent in theA con struction, will be more readily comprehended from the following detailed description of the accompanying drawings, whereln:

Figure 1 is a perspective view, in elevation, of a structure or cribbing composed of lour improved units, with portions broken away. v

Figure 2 is a plan view of our improved header. y

Figure 3 illustrates the same in elevation. Figure 4 is a plan view of our improved stretcher.

Figure 5 illustrates the same in elevati while Figure 6 illustratesl stretcher.

In the particular exemplification of the invention, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the cribbing is composed of a plurality of headers and stretchers disposed in vertical rows; with each row composed of a plurality of courses of headers and stretchers.

Our improved headers, illustrated at 10, Zi consist of properly reenforced concrete molded into a predetermined length and preferably substantially rectangular in cross-section at points intermediate of t-he ends of the headers; while both ends of the headers are providedvwith similar heads 11, 11. 'l'-Y shape in cross-section. The heads or ends 11 are also preferably of greater vertical dimenin elevation a short No. 278,810, filed February 24, 1819. Application for 1925. Serial No. 52,971.

sions than the vertical dimensions of .the main or body portion of the header, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3; that is to say the ends or heads 11 are formed flush with what may be termed the upper surface of t e headers, so that the vertical enlargements are arranged to extend beyond o1'A depend from the lower surface of the main portion, as clearly shown in the drawing. The depending extensions of the ends or heads 11 are each provided with a reenforcing portion or lobe 12 preferably of width corresponding-with the width 'of the main or body ortionv of the header. The headers 10 are a apted to extend from front to rear of the cribbing, that is, in a ydi-rection transversely of the cribbing, as clearly shown in Fig. 1and arranged in vertical rows with the lower extended portions of the'ends o1'I heads 11 in contact with the subjacent stretchers. t Thestretchers shown at 13 are also composed of reenforced roncrete of predetermined length and dimensions, with the main portion thereof rectangular in cross-section at oints intermediate of the ends; while the ends themselves are kerfed as shown at 14 in Figs. 4 and 5; the kerfs being located on the sameflongitudinal side of the stretcher to ada t said kerfs to receive the laterally exten ed portions or heads 11 of the headers 10 and permit the ends of the headers to come flush with the outer longitudinal sides of the stretchers 13, as shown 1n Fig. 1. The ends of the stretchers 13 are enlar by providing the downwardly dispose lobes or extensions 15, which are of vertical dimensions substantially similar to the vertical dimensions of the dependin portions or lobes 12, 12, of the headers 10, lereby permittin the upper` surfacesv of the headers an stretchers to be flush with 'each other and therefore be `disposed in substantially the same horizontal plane. The lobes or extensions 15' formed at both ends of the stretchers 13 are intended to Contact with the upper surface of the subjacent stretchers or units, as shown in Fig. 1, and thus providea suitable support and bearing at the ends of said stretchers which are thereby maintained ,in spaced relation with each other throughout their lengths in a manner similar to the headers 10 soy as to provide an interstitial cribbingor retaining element, as shown in Fig. 1. At a point intermediate of the ends, each stretcher 13 is preferably provided with a depending lug or lobe, as at 16, formed integral with the body ortion and of vertical dimension equal tot e vertical dimensions of the extensions or lobes 15 in order that the stretchers may have support at points intermediate of their ends by reason of the contact of said intermediate lobes or lugs 16 with the upper surface of the subjacent stretchers and headers. With our improved stretchers having a central support, namely at a point intermediate of the ends, enables the units to be laid in courses so as to provide a cribbing with broken or staggered joints, with the result that a more stable structure is provided.

As is evident from the construction shown and described, and as is well understood by those familiar with the art, the various courses are laid by arranging the headers 10 in directions substantially transverse to the embankment or fill to be sustained by the crlbbing; while the stretchers 13 are disposed in a direction substantially parallel 'with the embankment; and the superposed courses are so laid that the joints between the headers and stretchers of different courses are preferably made to alternate or come in different vertical rows, as more clearly shown in Fig. 1 at the points 17, wherein each superposed row is so arranged that the intermediate lobe or extension 16 of a stretcher will be disposed on the ends o."

heads 11 of the subjacent header 10, thus causing the interlocking connection between the headers or stretchers of successive orV superimposed courses to alternately occur iu different vertical planes. This alternating arrangement of the units, as before stated, is-

made possible by reason of the intermediate lobe 16 on each stretcher which may contact with the head of a subjacent header and thus provide continuous vertic al columns throughout the length of the cribbing and enable a more iiexible or yielding structure'to be constructed.

As is readily apparent from the construction shown and described, a firm interlocking relation between 4the respective headers and stretchers, throughout the entire length of the cribbing or retaining structure, against any lateral or outward pressure is provided; a cellular wall or structure being provided, wherein the cellular spaces, it

` will be understood, are intended to be filled in with gravel, rock or other suitable material, of which the embankment or filling is intended to be composed; the material being. of course, introduced after a suliicient number of courses have been laid.

Our improved construction mavbe cheaply produced and is of such simplicity that a laterally beyond two par same tlmewill obviate the necessity for providing a ploymg means,

great number of elements or em- .anchormg elements or cementmg as has heretotore been necessary 1n constructing a retainingl structure or cribhing.

Where the different courses are arranged as before stated so as to provide broken or staggered joints, it will'be understood that ragged or jut-ting ends would. result. Therefore where it is intended to have the ends of the stretchers disposed in the same vertical lane or come Hush at the ends of the cribhing, so that the end elements will be flush with each other, a short stretcher 18, see Figs. l and 6, may be employed so as to provide a flush end construction as shown in Fig. 1. The short stretchers 18 are 'substantially similar to the stretchers 13, except, that with the` short members 18, which are intended mainly as extension members, it is not deemed necessary to provide them with the central or intermediate lobes or extensions 16; the ends of the short stretchers 18 being, however, provided with similar kerfs as the long stretchers 13 shown in Figs. 4 and 5. y

The advantages of our invention are readily apparent from the construction shown wherein the headers and stretchers of the various courses throughout the cribbing will have firm interlocking relation with one another, so that any lateral or sliding relation between the elements will be prevented.

We have shownand described what we believe to be the simplest and best adaptation of our invention, but changes may be made in details of construction and general arrangement of parts without, however, departing from the 4spirit of our invention.

What we claim is:

1. In a concrete cribbing having longitudinally disposed stretchers and transversely arranged headers, the headers havin extensions at both ends beyond two parallel sides of the headers, said extensions also depending beyond the lower surfaces of the headers, while the stretchers are provided with kerfed ends, with the kerfs arranged, onl the same longitudinal sides of the stretchers and of dimensions substantially similar to the dimensions of the laterally disposed extensions on the ends of the headers, whereby said kerfed ends of the stretchers are adapted to receive the lateral extensions of the headers and provide interlocking relation between the ends of the headers and stretchers.

2. Ina concrete cribbing having longitudinally disposed stretchers and transversely arranged headers, the headers being provided with extensions at both ends disposed llel sides of the thereof disposed aterally headers and with extensions depending beyond the lower` sides of the headers and at the ends thereof, while the stretehers are provided with kerfs at the ends thereof arranged on the same longitudinal sides and adapted to receive the laterally dis osed extensions of the headers, the en s of the stretchers being also provided with extensions on the lower sides thereof of vertical length substantially equivalent to the vertical length of the depending extensions a't the ends of the headers.

3. In a' concrete cribbing composed of longitudinally disposed stretehersg and transversely arranged headers, with the headers havinxtensions at both ends disposed laterally vond two opposite sides of the headers and depending beyond the lower surfaces of the headers, while the stretchers are provided with kerfs at the ends thereof arranged on the same longitudinal sides and formed to receive the laterally dis sed extensions of the headers, the en s of the stretchers bein rovided with depending extensionson t e ower sides thereof of the same verticallength as that of the dependin extensions at the ends of the headers, sald stretchers being also provided with dependin extensions intermediate of the ends thereo of the same vertical length as said previously mentioned depending extensions.

4. A concrete cribbing, having longitudinal rows of stretchers and rows of headers arranged at' right angles to the stretcbers 35 the stretchers and headers being provided with enlargements whereby the superposed units are maintained in spaced relation, all of said enlargements being formed of substantially equal vertical dimenslons, each longitudinal row of the cribbing,r being composed of a plurality of headers and stretchers arrange in intersecting relation so that the enlargements of the headers in one horlzontal row will be coincident with the en.

largements of the stretohers in ad'acent horizontal rows, with the ends of t e headers and stretchers being arranged in interlocking relation with one another.

5. A concrete cribbng having longitudinally disposed stretchers and transversely arranged headers, the headers having extensions dis osed laterally beyond two parallel sides o the headers and deplendin beyond the lower surfaces of t e hea ers, while the stretchers are provided with kerfed ends of dimensions substantially similar tor the dimensions of the deendln portions ofthe extensions on the hea er en Y, whereby said kerfed ends of the stretehers are ada. ted to receive the lateral extensions of the eaders and provide interlocking relation between the headers and stretchers.

In witness whereof, we, the said Romair.` H. Fono, Cnannas IP. Rronannson, Aux- Annsn L. GREENABAUM, and HENRI M. Pnxnsfr have hereunto set our hands.

Ronnr H. FORD. I CHARLES P. RICHARDSON. i ALEXANDER L. GREENABAUM.. HENRY M. PRIEST. 

